Bharat Bandh : Transport and businesses may be hit for a day in Mumbai

MUMBAI: Transport services and businesses are likely to get badly affected in Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra on Thursday as opposition parties Shiv Sena and BJP have prepared to come out on the streets to ensure a successful 'Bharat Bandh' in protest of petrol price hike and rising inflation.

The government has pressed its machinery into action to ensure that law and order is maintained and essential services are not disrupted.

Top leaders of Shiv Sena met in the afternoon on Wednesday to discuss the preparations for Thursday's Bandh. Shiv Sena spokesperson Subhash Desai said "We will let the essential services like ambulances and milk supply run. We will not block students who are going for their exams.

But we appeal to all shops and establishments in Mumbai city and suburbs to stay shut for a day". BJP state president Sudhir Mungantiwar said "We appeal all political parties including the NCP to participate in this Bandh to protest against corruption.

We have asked out activists to not indulge in violence but we are sure that people will not go to work and businesses will stay shut for a day."

Though officially Shiv Sena and BJP announced that they will not be blocking suburban trains, sources in Shiv Sena suggested that there could be some blockages seen in areas like Malad, Jogeshwari on the western line and Vikhroli, Ghatkopar, Dadar etc on the central line.

Party sources suggested that there could be some demonstrations on the rail tracks to block trains in the morning for a while and that could disrupt the rail services in the peak hour.

Though Mumbai's Taxi and Autorickshaw union leaders have announced that they will not be participating in the Bandh, traffic police sources said that auto and taxi drivers themselves may not venture out on the roads fearing violence and possibility of damage to vehicles.

Republican Party of India (RPI) joining hands with BJP and Shiv Sena will ensure that in areas dominated by RPI such as Chembur, Ghatkopar and Mankhurd, there could be traffic blocks. The BEST bus service runs about 4,000 buses in Mumbai every day and carries 13 lakh passengers.

BEST will run services in the morning but Municipal sources said BEST administration will take a call on whether to run all services through the day depending on what happens in the morning. If there are incidents of stone pelting on buses then BEST is likely to curtail its services.

The BJP has city wise divided the responsibility of ensuring a successful bandh among various top state leaders. Party leaders claimed that their grass-root level information suggests that the Bandh will be effective in cities such as Pune,Nagpur and Aurangabad.

The State government held some meetings on Thursday to prepare for Thursday. State Chief Secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad took stock of the situation and held discussions with the Director General of Police and Commissioners of Mumbai and Thane. Additional forces from the state reserve police are going to be deployed in some parts of Mumbai to prevent violence and ensure law and order.

On Wednesday evening social activist Anna Hazare announced that he supports the Bharat Bandh and appealed to his followers to protest against inflation and participate in the Bandh.